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PROS

CONS

Requires long-term strategy, making early mistakes hard to recover from.

VERDICT

Mikado Defenders is a solid tower-defense game with a challenging twist for fans of genre and might just sway those who are yet to fall in love with the action packed strategy of TD titles.

Full Review

App Store Info

With so many different tower-defense games to choose from on the iPhone, it's hard to believe that a company like TAITO would take the risk of competing with such a large crowd. Thankfully their new title Mikado Defenders is a stand-out from the crowd, with its sumi-e inspired artwork and unique spin on the tower-defense gameplay.

Each map in the campaign provides a series of paths for enemies to traverse on their way to your castle, with limited spots available for placement of your units. Unlike traditional TDs the monsters don't just push their way past your troops, but instead will fight their way through, demolishing your units as they pass. Units will eventually regenerate or replenish their fighters if kept alive and money will need to be conserved to ensure you're ready for the game's harder challenges. Special attacks can be launched if you can save enough spirit energy from the slain undead hordes and Commander units can be earned to provide bonuses to troops their attached to.

The character animations and special effects are kept low-key which fits the game's more traditional artistic style, but the music takes a more modern approach with an interesting blend of classical instruments and modern distorted synth.

This is certainly not your average tower-defense game and fans will appreciate the new challenges Mikado Defenders presents. Definitely a must try for any fan of the genre.

Description

Mikado Defenders: an original feudal Japanese defense simulation for the iPhone / iPod touch!

In Mikado Defenders players deploy samurai foot soldiers, archers, and other units, desperately attempting to defend their fortress from an all-out demonic attack. It’s tower defense, with a uniquely Japanese twist!

Set in the Sengoku Era—a time when Japan was torn asunder by civil war—

Build your base up from a humble campsite to an impregnable fortress, complete with barricades and turrets! Investing in your castle is vital if you’re to have any hope fending off the Skull Wheel and other massive demons!

- Guardian Spirits –

Hold off the attacking demons for long enough and your castle will attract the aid of mystical allies. A single attack from one of these Guardian Spirits boasts the power to turn the tide of battle! Guardian Spirits also improve with your fortress; the stouter your defenses, the more powerful your ally!

- Samurai Commanders –

Reinforcing your castle and successfully destroying a “boss” giant demon has the chance of drawing a new samurai commander to your side! Recruit Oda Nobunaga, Sanada Yukimura, Date Masamune, and more! Each commander has their own special characteristics, and these abilities will prove vital in staging a successful defense!

- Class Change System -

Each unit will be promoted to an elite class by increasing its level to certain point!

-Taste of The Traditional Japan Art -

Not only the in-depth tower defense game system, Mikado Defenders features the Japan Art taste throughout the game, inspired from such art style as “ukiyo-e” paintings, and “sumi-e” paintings.

Other Features:

- Simple yet strategic game play!
- Intuitive goals: place your troops on the map, fend off attacking demons, and guard your castle!
- Easy controls: deploy samurai, select commanders, and unleash powerful guardian spirit attacks through intuitive taps and flicks!
- Play on your terms: you can suspend games mid-level, and come back to them later, picking up right where you left off!
- Selectable music: enjoy the provided ZUNTATA soundtrack or listen your own tunes!